PANS PANDAS UK

PANS PANDAS UK is the only UK charity supporting children and families living with these conditions. We provide information, advocacy and community support to patients and carers. We raise awareness of the symptoms and treatment options for healthcare, educational and social work professionals so that they are better equipped to recognise when a child may have PANS or PANDAS.

What are PANS and PANDAS?

PANS and PANDAS are a broad spectrum of acute onset neuropsychiatric conditions that may include obsessive compulsive symptoms, tics, severe eating restrictions, cognitive, behavioural and neurological symptoms.

Triggers may include strep throat, influenza, chicken pox, pneumonia, allergens, anxiety, trauma or other environmental factors.

In simple terms, instead of becoming ill with a sore throat, sore ears, temperature, etc, the immune system attacks a small area of the brain called the Basal Ganglia, which controls voluntary motor movements, procedural learning, habits and emotion.